Background

Swiss Church Aid/HEKS is the aid organization of the Protestant Churches of Switzerland and has its headquarters in Zurich/Switzerland. Swiss Church Aid/ HEKS works towards a more humane and more equitable world, assisting people and communities to overcome economic, social or humanitarian disparities in order to gain autonomy and to live with dignity both in Switzerland and abroad. Therefore, Swiss Church Aid/ HEKS engage in development cooperation, humanitarian aid and church cooperation and works in more than 30 countries and runs around 200 projects world-wide. Swiss Church Aid/ HEKS is a member of the ACT Alliance.

In Ethiopia, Swiss Church Aid/ HEKS has programs with focus on Natural Resources Management, WASH, and Inclusive Markets for Smallholder Pastoralists and Farmers and Humanitarian Assistance for drought and conflict affected communities.

Job overview

The WASH Engineer will be part Swiss Church AID/ HEKS WASH field team and  is responsible for the implementation of the Emergency WASH Response in Cholera, Drought and Conflict affected IDPs/Returnees and Host Communities in Moyale Woreda of Borena Zone, Oromia Region.

The overall objective of this project is to enhance the health status of cholera and drought-affected communities in target kebelles of Moyale woreda in Borena Zone, Oromia Region through improved access to water, sanitation and hygiene services.

The position holder spends his/her time in project target locations; responsible mainly for management and supervision of the Emergency WASH response including ongoing planning, implementation, coordination, monitoring, reporting project activities. He/she also establishes and maintains relationships with community, local government and kebelle leaders to identify priority needs, beneficiary targeting, joint monitoring and post distribution monitoring of the project outputs.

 Major Responsibilities

• Responsible for  implementation of the WASH projects activities in the Moyale woreda
• Develop detailed work plan and implement the project activities (latrine construction and the water supply construction and rehabilitation, etc.) as specified in the work plan.
• Carry out detail design of water and sanitation facilities and associated structures,
• Prepare/revise BOQs, Technical Specifications and Drawings, payment certificates for WASH facilities as deemed necessary
• Keep track of the progress of construction/rehabilitation activities from beginning to end - from feasibility, to design through construction and handover
• Conduct water quality assessments and disinfect sources as required
• Train local communities/caretaker/ and Water Sanitation and hygiene Committees (WASHCOs) on scheme management, operation and maintenance, ensure that the WASHCOs and community scheme care takers are well functioning
• Ensure community involvement in the design, delivery and monitoring of WASH services and facilities
• Support the implementation of Sanitation and Hygiene promotion sessions and any other hygiene and sanitation based activities
• Represent HEKS in WASH task force meetings in the woreda
• Monitor and follow up timely and quality implementation of all activities including but not limited to water supply systems construction/rehabilitation and latrine construction and promptly identifying any current or potential challenges
• Report regularly to the Field Office Coordinator and HO WASH Coordinator on the project progresses and other relevant issues on monthly and /or weekly basis as required.
• Assist with any other duties as required by the Field Office Coordinator and HO WASH Coordinator.
• Establish and maintain transparent, functional working relationships with local government at woreda levels and with the communities and NGOs operating in the project area
• Closely work with all SCA/HEKS field team on how to integrate and align the Emergency WASH response with other SCA/HEKS initiatives and priorities, 
• Work with and provide timely technical support to the SCA/HEKS co-implementing partners, Maintain respectful and constructive relations with field project team.
• Fully comply with SCA/HEKS policies and standards, including but not limited to safety and security procedures and provide input to security monitoring and assessments to enable and promote a safe and secure environment for project implementation

Other duties

The position holder is managed by the Field Office Coordinator and is responsible for any other duties as assigned by the line-manager.

Type of Appointment:        Five (5) month fixed term contract.

Education: Bachelor Degree in water supply and environmental engineering, Water Resource engineering, Hydraulic Engineering or related fields.

Work Experience:  3-5 years of relevant experience preferably with an NGO setting

Desirable Qualities, Skill and Competences

• Demonstrated experience in emergency WASH response
• Excellent communication skills, both written and spoken in English and Afan Oromo is required.
• Excellent communication and coordination skill, preferably with the community and woreda line departments government
• Ability to understand financial requirements of project and to manage activities in line with project budget
• Gender sensitive and experience with inclusive approach (work with people with disabilities, extreme poor families, minorities and other marginalized groups
• Ability to understand the cultural context of the pastoral community and use that culture as an input for community mobilization
• Accountability & responsiveness within areas of responsibilities,
• Passionate, strongly dedicated and highly committed to work for the improvement of the poor community
• Knowledge of local contexts and operational areas
• Ability to generate timely and quality reports
• Computer literacy of technical software (i.e. AUTOCAD, GIS, EPANET) is an asset
• Knowledge and experience of the application of SPHERE links to emergency and longer-term development practice
• Commitments to Swiss Church Aid/HEKS’ organizational values